Adjustable caster



Patented June 5, 1923.

UNITED STATES;

taster? PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN CARLSON, OF LA 'JJU'QUJEI,QUEBEC,v CANADA.

ADJUSTABLE CASTEB.

Application filed January '14, 1922. Serial No. 529,235.

The general object is to provide a caster,

of this character which is simple in construction, which may be readilyadjusted, and which will retain its adjustment.

A further object is to provide a caster of this character in whichtheadjustment is secured by means of a nut on the caster, which nut isexteriorly disposed so that an implement may be readily applied theretoat any time to rotate the nutand increase or decrease the effectivelength of the caster.

Other objects will appear in the course of the following description. v

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein 2-Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a furniture leg and my improvedcaster applied thereto;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken at right anglesto the sectional view shown in Figure 1.

Referring to these drawings, it will be seen that my caster consists ofpractically five pieces. The caster wheel 10 is disposed between theslightly curved and bifurcated end of a shank 11. This shank 11 istubular and open at its upper end and is exteriorly screwthreaded for aportion of its length, as at 12, these exterior screw-threads beingdisposed at the beginning of the straight portion of the shank justabove the fork within which the wheel 10 is mounted. This shank istransversely slotted, as at 13, the slot beinglower end of this spindle14 being trans-.

versely slotted, as at 15, this transverse recess or groove in the slotbeing the same size as the slot 18. The upper end of the spindle 14 isprovided with a head 16 having an exterior diameter'the same as theexterior diameter of the shank 11. The upper face of this head is formedwith an upwardly projecting step bearing 17, The shank with its interiorspindle is adapted to be disposed withinthe socket 18, in turn intendedto be disposed within the leg of the article of furniture, asillustrated in Figure 1, this socket being closed at its upper end andat its lower end having the outwardly projecting flange 19. The innerface of the closed upper, end i of the socket is formed with a centrallydisposed bearing recess 20 within which the pointed upper end 17 of thespindle l4 bears. Disposed through the slot 13jand the slot 15 is atransversely extending key 21 which may be held from transversemovementthrough the slot 13 in any desired manner but which has vertical slidingmovement in the slot 13,-

and disposed below the key and engaging this key is a nut 22 engagingthe screwthreads12.

The parts are assembled in the manner shown in Figure 1, and if it bedesired to increase the effective length of the leg of the article offurniture to which the caster is applied, the nut 22 is turned upward,causing the key 21 to rise, and this in turn causing the elevation ofthe spindle 14 relative to the shank 11 to thereby increase theeffective length of the shank. The spindle 14 at its upper end bearsagainst the bearing seat 20 and has, of course, free rotation within thesocket 18. If it be desired to decrease the effective length of theshank, the nut 22 is turned in the reverse direction, permitting theshank 11 to move upward within the socket and into position against theflange 16 on the spindle 14. In order to prevent the detachment of thekey 21 after it is put in place, the ends of the key may be slightlyoverturned or pinned to prevent the key from moving longitudinallythrough the slot 13. The shank of this caster may be with drawn from itsengagement with the socket at any time, and. obviously the spindle 14may be withdrawn from within the shank 11 if it is desired The castermay thus be readily lubricated, put in position, removed, or replaced.

I claim 1. In a caster, a tubular caster wheel supporting shank open atits upper end, a caster wheel, a spindle disposed within the tubularshank and extending above the same, the lower end of the spindle beingbifurcated and o ieratively supporting the caster wheel and the casterwheel and spindle oscillating together, means whereby the spindle may beelevated or lowered relative to the shank and held in its adjustedposition, and a socket within which the shank and spindle are disposed,the spindle and socket at their upper ends being formed withcomplementary bearing portions.

2. A caster of the character described comprising caster wheelsupporting shank, the shank being tubular and open at its upper end. thelower end of the shank being exteriorly screw-threaded and formed with atransversely extending slot, a spindle disposed within the tubular shankand projecting above the same, a key passing through the slot of theshank and bearing against the lower end of the spindle, a nut engagingthe screwsthreads ot' the shank and upon which said key rests, andasocket within which the shank is disposed, the

spindle bearingat its upper end against the upper end of the socket.

A caster of the character described comprising a shank forkedatits lowerend, a caster wheel disposed within the shank, the

shank being tubular and open at its upper end, the lower end of theshank above the forked portion being exteriorly screwthreaded and formedwith a transversely extending slot having a length equal to'the lengthof the screw-threads, a keyextending through said slot, a nut engagingthe screw-threads and upon which the key rest-s, a spindle fittingwithin the tubular shank and formed at -its lowerend with adiametricallyextending recess to engage said key, the upper end of thespindle having a head. the upper face of the head being formed with anupwardly projecting bearing, and a hollow socket formed at its lower endwith an annular flange, the upper end of the socket being closed andhaving a bearing re- (less in which the step bearing of the spindlerotatably engages.

4. A caster of the character described comprising a caster wheelsupporting shank, the shank being tubular and open at its upper end, thelower end of the shank being exteriorly screw-threaded and formed with atransversely extending slot, a spindle disposed within the tubular shankand extending above the same, a member passing through the slot of theshank and operatively engaged with the spindle, a nutengaging thescrew-threads of the shank and upon which said member rests, and asocket within which the shank is disposed, the spin, dle bearing atit-supper end against the upper end of thesocket.

a caster, a caster wheel having a shank, a socket within which the shankoscillates, and a nut screw-threaded upon the shank atthevlower endthereof and having operative engagement with the socket whereby tocausea retraction of the shank from the socket asthe nut is rotated in onedirection and permit the movement of the shank into the socketupon amovement of the nut in the opposite direction.

In testimony whereof I; hereunto afiix my signature.

JOHN CARLSON.

